


Service!

by mynevermore



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU - Restaurant, Chefs, Day at the fair, M/M, Prankster Gabriel, Slow Build, cakes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-14
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2018-06-02 06:46:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6555844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mynevermore/pseuds/mynevermore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel Novak is obsessed with his career. He's working towards the top - book deal, TV show, Michelin star. That's what matters.... Until a greasy mechanic somehow gets into his kitchen and then his whole world turns upside down. Is this what normal people deal with on a daily basis?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Service!" The call rings out from the kitchen, waiters scurrying to the line to pick up neatly arranged plates as the chefs behind the stainless steel barrier dance around each other to ensure that everything is cooked and plated as required before being set down in front of the exacting gaze of the head chef, Castiel Novak.

He checks each plate carefully, wiping off stray droplets of sauce and juice with a tea towel and arranging herbs just so on the top before calling out for one of the penguins to carry it up to throw in the slop bucket that is the restaurant. Everyone knows his opinion of the customers and the waiters. They also know that the kitchen is his domain and he expects perfection with little patience for anything else.

The chefs usually talk amongst themselves behind his back. The names he's called range from tyrant to asshole, and he's aware of them too but he's focused on his career. All that matters is the critics, his bosses and his peers. He doesn't have time to devote to making friends or socialising with others. That's the excuse anyway.

"Order up!" The gravel over velvet rings out over the sound of clattering crockery and pans. "One salmon, one steak, two salads, one children's fish and chips."

"Yes chef!" The cry echoes from the tiles and back to him.

He walks through to the small adjoining kitchen which has been set up as the baking and desserts area. The owners wanted to do high teas and fancy cakes after seeing the interest in Cake Boss, Ace of Cakes and other such reality shows. Castiel doesn't really see the point in it, particularly after they employed his brother Gabriel who spends most of his time trying to chat up the penguins or horsing around. And as he steps around the door, a puff of flour hits him in the face and he sighs.

Case in point.

"Hey there, little bro!" Gabriel grins at him widely as he idly pelts his grinning assistant with another handful of flour. Castiel looks around at the distinct lack of a flour fight and concludes that the extra decoration on his chef's whites were intentional.

"Gabriel, this is a place of business, not a children's playground. Do you have the cake for Mrs Astor's party prepared?" His tone was long suffering as usual. Just because he was used to his brother's games didn't mean that he liked them. He follows his older brother through to the fridge at the enigmatic grin.

Gabriel throws the door open with a flourish to reveal a three tiered frankly breathtaking confectionery masterpiece. "Right here and ready to go, little bro. Hey....that rhymed!" He grins widely, waggling his eyebrows at his younger brother.

Castiel steps forward and considers the cake carefully, taking in each and every detail. "It is acceptable. Thank you, Gabriel." He then turns to return to the line while his brother rolls his eyes.

"I still need a pastry assistant now that Brady is leaving, Cassie." He calls after Castiel then sighs and looks at his assistant. "I swear, the rod up his ass has a rod up its ass. I don't even know how we're related sometimes." He shakes his head then and grins as Brady preps a bowl of fondant for them to experiment with. The two have worked together long enough that they know each other all too well.

In the meantime, Castiel heads back to the line to return to ensuring that every creation out of his kitchen is flawless. He's not a perfectionist, he simply doesn't understand the rest of the world so he focuses on what he does understand and making it perfect.

He dusts the remaining flour from his jacket and mans his post until the end of service, the last of the penguins leaving with the final plate which signals his chance to relax at last. His brigade starts the cleanup process which is one of the few times he gets along particularly well with them since he's not afraid to get stuck in and clean up too.

They take the opportunity to do the weekly maintenance during the cleanup, the clatter and scraping of prep tables along the floor as they're upended and they go through the process of cleaning the food and cooking residue from underneath. The monotony of it is soothing as he allows his mind to churn over the stack of applications in his office for those who might be suitable to assist his brother while also taming Gabriel's unorthodox style of work.

The end of the night finds the brigade farewelling him politely on their way out, respect at least for the boss even if they think he's an ass. Each of them ducks their head around the doorframe of the office to let him know they're leaving while he flips through the stack of applications he's collected since the last time he did a round of interviews. Every time he looks at it, the stack seems to be bigger than the last time he cleared them out.

It's normal, or at least that's what he tells himself. It's normal for him to be here at the end of the night, cup of freshly brewed coffee on his desk, the kitchen silent after everyone has left to either celebrate another successful night or slink home to their partner to relax. It's normal for him to be alone while Gabriel meets up with Kali for another whirlwind night of dancing before they collapse into bed together around dawn. It is normal, isn't it?

He stares for a long time at the cup of cooling coffee on the table then determinedly doesn't feel sorry for himself. He's working on getting a book deal, maybe his own TV show, Michelin star? He doesn't need a relationship or someone to go home to. He has someone to go home to, Balthazar is perfectly good company and a warm body to snuggle up to.

A hand darts out to grab a pen and a post-it note. "Note to self: Buy cat food for Balthazar..." The cat wouldn't forgive him if he forgot to buy him food again. It took a week and three expensive salmon fillets last time he'd forgotten for the beast to forgive him. He wouldn't make the same mistake again.

He returns to the stack of applications, picking out the ones that have shown interest or talent in the baking side of things. His eyes scan over details without really seeing them until he's stopped by one odd fact. "A mechanic? At a salvage yard?" He lets out a sigh at that and shakes his head. "I'm not having motor oil in my kitchen." And he carefully files the application in the waste basket beside his desk.

The clock above the door ticks over to two in the morning just as he finally starts packing up his things and turning out the lights. Maybe Balthazar's been keeping the bed warm for both of them.


	2. Another day at the fair.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Never let a pretty face sway you, or you may end up doing the shitty jobs. Seriously.

He rather enjoys watching the play of golden light against her caramel skin. It reminds him of toffee, fudge and every other kind of delicious soft candy. He can't help letting a finger trail over her shoulder and down the middle of her spine to where the rich red silk sheets cover her backside.

A soft grumble emerges from her and she reaches back to swat at his hand as he presses his nose into the cascade of midnight curls that flow across her pillow. He smiles at the scent of exotic spices and perfumes, of fire and passion and everything that makes her his Kali.

"Gabriel, I swear...if you don't leave me alone to sleep, you will be picking your teeth out of the carpet."

He chuckles at that and presses a soft kiss to her shoulderblade then sits up to check the time on his phone. "Sorry sweetheart, but needs must and I gotta go. You were delectable as always."

She grunts softly at that and burrows back down into the silk and soft down pillows. He knows she isn't much of one to show it, that her fiery temper and dismissive manner hides a passion for him that equals his own for her. But he sighs and forces the early stirrings of desire to dim as he grabs the pants he was wearing the previous night from the floor.

"It's a good thing I'm too much of a gentleman to possibly allow you to do the walk of shame." He smirks and pulls on his pants, turning his back to her at the last second as she sits up and hits him with her pillow.

"Shut up, you pompous little man! Go irritate someone else!" He laughs at that and blows her a kiss then dances out of the room before she throws something more damaging at him. But of course he stops to make her waffles in the kitchen, tucking the plate in a warm oven before he exits her apartment.

The smile follows him most of the way home as he thinks of her and the endless nights of dancing; her and the sweet laughter; her and the way she throws him out of her bed in the morning. He unwraps a sucker and pops it into his mouth, enjoying some time lost in daydreams of his beloved until an alarm snaps him out of his thoughts.

He sighs as he looks down at the screen - Sioux Empire Fair, 8am. An hour to get home, freshen up then get his ass down to the fair. This is the last time he'll allow Athena to talk him into an early start, even if it is good publicity for his little brother's restaurant.

The sucker is gripped between his teeth and he shoves the phone back into his pocket while he picks up the pace to get home. If he slicks his hair back with enough product, will anyone notice he hasn't had a shower? Home first, then worry about it.

And so, whiskey coloured eyes focused on home in the distance, he strides as fast as his legs will take him. No short jokes!

\---------------

The fair itself seems dusty as Gabriel pulls up to the gate in his cherry red corvette. People are milling about with stacks of lumber, scaffolding and other bits of building material. He's almost scared of leaving his beautiful car parked anywhere near these people.

"Can't throw a Cassie. C'mon Gabe...man up." He sets his jaw and drives past the check point and into the staff parking area. With any luck, he'll manage to find a quiet place to park her behind something but the best spot is next to a tree. Well, at least one side will be vaguely protected.

Car parked, denim jacket straightened, sunglasses sufficiently cool enough to keep up his image. Time to make an entrance! So he walks through to the main pavilion in search of his friend with another sucker ever present between his teeth, another symbol of how he always falls for the charms of a pretty face.

Gabriel can't help but glower as Athena spots him almost as soon as he walks in. 

"I was starting to think that you weren't going to come along to our little fair, Novak." She walks across to him with powerful strides, her jeans tucked into gleaming riding boots while her purple silk shirt is spotless. He'd tried to tap that many years ago, his ass still smarts from landing on it after she slapped him for the pickup line.

He sighs as she gets close then manages to smirk. "Wouldn't miss the party for the world, darlin'. Where do you want me? On top or underneath?"

Her shoulders tense at the remark and she grumbles, shaking her head. It's taken her many years to learn to tolerate Gabriel's rather colourful flirtations and she'll never be entirely comfortable with it. She's given up trying to explain to him what asexual means.

"You'll be judging the baking competitions. Pies, cakes, cake decorating, cookies, slices, the whole lot. And you'll behave yourself and not allow yourself to be swayed by a pretty face." She glares at him and he just smiles in return.

"I've seen my two favourite beauties today, no one else could compare." Athena rolls her eyes at the response and points him in the direction of the Arts Center after handing him his judge's badge.

It was going to be a long day. The things he did for misplaced affection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys,
> 
> Another chapter for your enjoyment. A bit of a different POV but I am building to something. Next chapter, we'll see Sam and Dean, I promise!
> 
> <3 to you all and comments and suggestions always welcome :)

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting in my Evernote for a while and I wanted to throw it out there. I can't say I'll be able to update it too often since I work almost full time and I'm doing 3 units of uni study at the moment as well. But I wanted to hopefully get some feedback and comments from you guys, see what you think.
> 
> It's unbeta'ed. Please leave kudos and comments...my muse survives on them and she hasn't been too helpful lately. <3 you guys!


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